As Três Irmãs (2022)

Incredible!

(Disclaimer, I never read the novel). So incredibly good. I felt frustrated in the beginning by different characters but by the end I felt content with how they grew. Uhm Jiwon did an amazing job portraying Sangah in such a way I couldn't hate her. I found Inkyungs character to be a little stiff at points but that was just her character and by the end she was much more likable. I absolutely hate Mari but I wish she was brought up again at the end and had some sort of consequence for her actions. I found it so frustrating how the sisters just blocked other when they're upset in the beginning. I've really never watched anything that was as good as this. Kind of sad nothing ended up happening with two leads but it would've been rushed so maybe it's better nothing happened. I think Little Women definitely could've benefited with at least one more episode so much happened at the last 20 minutes that it felt rushed. I'm quite happy with the ending, maybe there will be a season 2 and that's why it ends that way. Kim Goeun did a fantastic job portraying a naive happy wants best for her sisters type character to the point of it seeming like it really is her. Very good drama, I'm glad I watched this.

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A complex political thriller with family drama and personal growth

While the show is dark and serious, it's really engaging. There are numerous plot threads weaving through this series, centering around three sisters characters. The eldest sister who is an outcast at her company because she's poor, lacks a higher education, is divorced, and is also attractive. She forms a unique friendship with another outcast who hides her luxurious alter ego. This relationship leads to our eldest sister gaining possession of a significant sum of money, tainted by corruption. The middle sister is a passionate reporter investigating the background and family connections of a politician running for Seoul's mayor. However, she struggles with alcoholism and often becomes emotional on camera. The youngest sister is an exceptionally talented artist who won a scholarship to a prestigious art school in South Korea. She forms a close friendship with a wealthy girl from the school, essentially becoming part of the rich family. This doesn't sit well with her elder sisters, who suspect that the rich family has ulterior motives. Furthermore, the rich family connected to the youngest sister is the very same family that our second sister, the reporter, is investigating. The connections become increasingly messy as the story unfolds.

Now, this show has an exceptional cast. They delivered outstanding performances, with the eldest sister standing out due to her character's development and screen time. The cinematography is a masterpiece, the set design and overall color grading are meticulously crafted, with subtle clues woven into the details. Also the music is as beautiful as the visuals.

What I don't like are the characters and the story all throughout. The sisters seem so unlikeable and dim, they keep making choices that put them in jeopardy. It was painful to watch them being played over and over again by people around them, it feels that the plot just keep happening around them just for performances. While plot twist after plot twist keep happening, the last 4 episodes do not round the story very well.

-Oct 2023, Yovita
Find me on Instagram: @kdramajudge

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Dirt wrapped in facy bow

there are 2 categories that's missing from the above rating system, cinematography which was a 100/10 and plot development which was a meh 5.
so like, the shots were so extravagant, so beautiful, so well though tout, so well balanced, but the story? the backstory for the evil organization was trash. the "twists" eventhough they were shocking were stupid, basically the villains were so smart yet gave away their own lives and worse make a stupid revenge scheme that compromised herself more than her victims..

like sure, sangah was a psychopath, but an elaborate acid water scheme, that obviously put herself at more risk? and the tree bottom becoming an acid pool and boom one push and it's over?
here's how I'd have done it differently. poisoned gas, and she wears a protective mask but it gets cut off by accident and boom we see her suffering chocking on her own plans. (don't judge me, I'm writing this with a writer mindset xD)
her whole persona was "conducting plays", a puppet master if you like, she planned and played everyone, we as viewers needed to see her plans fail and her seeing the wires cut off, that was the real suffering, she had no real power

and suddenly everyone was rich, when her friend got 12 years in prison.. so it was that simple? there was no death mystery cuz she never died. they didn't need to piss sangah off when they could've laundered the money that easily?




some people would look at this as a fancy metaphor for "the top 1% and people exposing their true colors infront of money" or whatever else one likes and they are not wrong
but to me it wasn't that deep. it was just 1 psychopath that married another, and her father conveniently had an organization of psychos that liked to kill to reach their goal, for what? petty angst, why? cuz that's how shallow the writer is
squid games is not a metaphor of rich and poor, it's entertainment. you can ofc see any metaphor you like, it's not wrong. we can all look at the ink on the page and see a flower, a monster, or just a splash of ink.
one and two aren't crazy, and 3 isn't a cynic that lacks creativity. I can look at a literature piece like little women the book, and say it wasn't a rich vs poor, it was just a love story. or personally I think it was more about a woman's position in society, regardless of background, women are forced with 2 options, marry rich or marry love, and the 3rd variable is the rebel's "if I don't want to be either I'll be neither"

I did not compare little womens cuz besides the basic, 3 sisters, poor, artist, material world, nothing is similar. others can see more similarities but no one is wrong


sooo, long story short, as an entertainment piece, ep8 was the best. the psycho's Truman Show was a great touch, the manipulation, the step by step puppet show and everything just being for sangah's enjoyment watching injoo's reaction was a better story choice than the veitnam, sad mommy issues, money, Vietnam and 99% of the show thinking Do Il would betray her. or being over involved in his feelings for injoo when like literally 7m is a great reason for someone to help cuz 70b is way too much to want to escape with

the songs were great, Uhm Ji Won as a calm psychopath is a great addition to makjangs and their recent love for screaming women. Kim Go Eun also rocks heavily emotinal scenes. for me, her meltdown in prison, and sangah's scheme in ep8 deserve to be in the "acting" hall of fame



going to compare this to eve, both are makjang, both wanted to go crazy, and tbh I'm sick of romance dramas breaking up the best couples and say "sad endings are realistic", it's not sad to beautiful people didn't end up together, real sad endings come from death, and the ones that need a sad ending are makjangs, a happily ever after makjang isn't worth all the pain and angst
killing the villain is not a satisfying ending. they get caught? they kill themselves. they go crazier? they fall and accidentally die

real suffering comes from detaching the villain from their power. let their world crumble. and thus, in Eve the ML saw the amount of destruction they caused and what did he do? suicide but with murder. and that's they point, muurrrrder (again don't judge I'm a writer xD) but how to make murder worse? one dies and one lives but loses everything, her memory, her sanity, her personality, her life, and she lives in a state she doesn't know what's real or not, she's just a shell
but I guess Eve got there 1st so this couldn't copy it. and psych ward is the 3rd option for villains anyway

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loved this drama... full of twist and turns... every ep. is mind blowing...

Every actor is suitable according to their roles... plotting and story is very attractive and amazing... my fav. roles are choi do il and In joo... their chemistry hits differently... the role of In kyung is very strong... overall i really loved this drama.. now it is one of my fav. dramas... the ost are amazing... everything seems to be perfect.... i wanted choi do il and In joo to be together but they can't.... each ep. contain lots of secrets you can't skip 1 second of this drama... i watched this while airing and i sometimes feel like my heart was going to be explode while waiting for the next episode... i got anxious when i can't watch ep. on the same day of airing... i hope you can understand my state at that time...?

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Everything was perfect until E08 after that......

For me Little Women was just a decent Watchable drama. Everything look so interesting and gripping in the start, too many Mysteries with a very good story telling, plot twists, and more. But all are for nothing actually from E09. Slowness is ok. Because i already knew this probably a slow poison in the start but i was completely wrong to be honest. Because after E08 everything is predictable or i predicted almost everything.

So for me, i lost all the excitement. E08 ending was lit. But it all spoiled in the starting of E09. Politics is also unbearable. Too many unwanted story complications for nothing actually. If you think there will be a grand twist coming after all this, then don't fool yourself. Nothing was there. Actually if you can easily predict everything...

I thought this would be a good mystery serial murders kind of a story telling and unfold a large mystery with an unbelievable twist or something like this. But if you just look back after all 12 episodes you will probably get what i mean infact there was nothing but too many complication ?

Stunning cast and performance. And some characterisation, oh sister's are brilliant, even a simple detailing of their behaviour is superbly narrated. But it doesn't support the story.

Overall it's not a bad drama or must watch drama, it was a simple and decent drama to watch. Too many dragging after E08. Some point i thought even for just a 12 episodes they took so many time to conclude that story and what happen if they took 16.. ?

It's only my personal view.

#N45Views

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Thrilling and Chilling All The Way Through

At first I expected this drama to follow closely to the American Little Women. At least it would be that kind of a drama. This turn out to have very little resemblance to the American version, except that there are four sisters.

But while I love the American version, I dare say this Korean version is very gripping and makes me want to see more. While the previous is all about warm hearted sibling love and some romance, the later is fully crime thriller with the romance as a small part only. Well I'm still currently in ep 9 and I still have no idea if the first sister's suitor is actually a good guy or a bad guy!! But I love all those uncertainties.

If any, I feel that the second sister often does things without thinking of the consequences. But again, she's an alcoholic so it's part of the character written for her I suppose. Also, the first sister carrying that bag with 2billion won on the street ?. So I won't say there are no silly bits here and there. Just saying the storyline is so good I am willing to let those random silliness go.

As usual, Kim Go Eun doesn't disappoint.

I highly recommend this drama. Gripping all the way through.

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Dramatic at times but meh

I went into watching Little Women blind with only the idea that it's based on a book that I hadn't read but had heard was quite good. I don't find this Korean adaptation to be special. It left me questioning many things that didn't quite make sense.

Yes, Little Women has wonderful cinematography and the director knows how to build suspense and anxiety but at times I felt like the motivation behind everything lacked any kind of logic and the end folded so neatly, it was actually both a relief and disappointing.

I wish I could make sense of why the society functioned the way it did. Felt meaningless and unbelievable that no one questioned a thing.

Although the Oh sisters irked me in many instances, I was genuinely rooting for In Joo and In Kyung. Oh In Hye will go down as 2022's most annoying main character. So selfish and ungrateful! I prefer any of the villains over her because at least you understand them to a degree.

Loved the mysterious Choi Do Il and it was fun reading viewers speculate. It's unfortunate that the other male character is nothing to write home about.

If you enjoy suspense, then you might enjoy the rollercoaster ride this show takes you on. However, the ending is not very dramatic. If romance draws you in then you might want to give this one a skip.

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The perfect mystery, thriller with a hidden, faint undertone of romance.

Wow. I have just finished this drama and few words can describe how I am feeling.

It has been an absolute rollercoaster of a journey. I've been shocked, confused, scared, anxious, happy and overwhelmed over the course of this 12 episode drama. Even though there are some things that I didn't (and a few which I still don't) understand, this drama is definitely one of my top 3 kdramas ever!

Here are the things that I liked about this drama:
- The Cast! Oh. My Gosh. This star studded cast was on fire! Everyone outdid themselves! The emotions portrayed, the deliverance of lines, the visuals, the pure talent! A few of them deserve extra attention: Wi Ha Jun ( he was phenomenal, outstanding and the definite highlight of the show) , Kim Go Eun (she took this character and made her feel so raw, imperfect and human), Uhm Ki Joon and Uhm Ji Won ( these two scared the hell out of me in the most fantastic way).
- The Cinematography. Just watch it. You'll see why.
- Most of the characters. They were flawed, occasionally annoying, but for me personally this just added to the story. It's all about the imperfections of humanity (Greed, Naivety, Capitalism+Poverty, etc). My favourite character was Choi Do-Il, he just kept me on the edge of my seat the entire drama! I never knew whether to trust him or not, but he always pulled through.
- The Plot Twists. I don't think I am the easiest person ever to shock, but this drama continuously surprised me. These plot twists also gave the drama quite a steady pace.
- The Villains. Guys, people are scary. Do not judge a book by its cover. The villains in this drama have probably scared me for life.

The things I didn't particularly love:
- Oh In Hye. She just got on my nerves a lot. The ending redeemed her a bit for me as a character, but I still don't think I can say that I really liked her much as a character.
- I sometimes got quite confused whilst watching this drama. There are still a number of things that I don't really understand, but I think I probably just need to rewatch it. The times I felt confused never really took away from my general enjoyment of the show, but maybe just keep it in mind that you might feel like something doesn't make sense every now and again.

Two things to note:
- Don't go into expecting an adaptation of the classic novel of the same name. You will be disappointed. I have read a number of comments under this drama where people express their dissatisfaction at this and I think it is important to address. There are a few tiny minuscule similarities but that is it. I think it would be better to look at it from the perspective of it focusing on the lives of women who don't have power over their own lives. I also hope this perspective helps anyone who feels frustrated over the dissimilarities between the two.
- Historical distortion surrounding the Vietnam war. Look into it a bit yourself and ensure that you are educated on why people are unhappy with the lack of historical accuracy in this drama, so that you can watch it whilst being aware of this issue.

I truly loved this drama. I would 100% recommend it.
However, Prepare To Have Your Mind Blown!!!!

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Amazing, simply amazing.

I am just adored by this drama. The suspense, story and plot twist were all done so well. I couldn't easily predict what was going to happen the next episode and just gave up predicting after a while. The story is done so well and I loved that the characters are not top class geniuses like they have prepared their whole life to know what to do in these type of situations. They are normal, everyday human beings that have flaws. Especially In joo, she is like a normal person who got dragged into this mess. It brings a little sense of realism. All the actors did so well in their roles. Especially Kim Go Eun did such a splendid job. The despair and happiness felt so real in the show. The other actors did a spectacular job too. This is must watch, if you like action, thriller and suspense. No boring episodes. It would always leave you at the edge of your seat.

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The best drama ever

Little Women the title attracted me because as a literature student and love I thought it will probably be a remake of the classic. Then i saw a clip on youtube and finally started watching the drama when it had 4 episodes released.

In the very beginning I could have never thought this drama which started with the story of three poor sisters' tragic situation and a mother who ran away with her daughter's money will end up to have this many twists and turns.

i usually don't write reviews but this drama deserves it. I loved how the entire cast had the best acting and a perfect storyline. They brought out the characters to such a level that once you start the drama there is no way you will stop talking about it.

The ending deserves a special mention because I believe no one would have thought it would end so smoothly until the very last minute like the last episode was full of twists.

The best drama I have ever watched. This is a much watch.

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A Veritable Dollhouse of Absurdity

The experience of watching this so-called homage to Louisa M. Alcott’s beloved tale is like playing a game of blind man’s bluff. The audience is positioned as the player in the middle, blind-folded, groping around trying to make sense of the surroundings only to be led by a cacophony of sounds which may either prove to be helpful leads or egregious misdirections that lead to nowhere. Rather than being any kind of thoughtful of adaptation of Alcott’s timeless series, the roots of this Korean drama lie in the overlong weekend family dramas infamous for their ridiculous plot lines punctuated by unbelievable twists and turns, protracted conflicts that are designed to leave audiences begging for more week after week. It’s a combination of pure farce, high melodrama and an unabashed (even gleeful) exploitation of tropes. Polished as it may be, it is still a makjang. From the first, this story positions itself as a morality tale cautioning against the consequences of greed and ambition from its use of the red shoes motif only to end up with a bewildering incoherent resolution that undermines the story’s early messaging.

The show throws the spotlight on two adult sisters from a working class background. They are Oh In-joo (Kim Go-eun), Oh In-kyung (Nam Ji-hyun) as well as their teenage sister Oh In-hye (Park Ji-hoo), a talented artist who has caught the eye of a certain Ms Won Sang-a (Uhm Ji-won), an ambitious wealthy woman who is married to an aspiring politician Park Jae-sang (Uhm Ki-hoon). The unsuspecting Oh sisters who lament their meagre lot in life are drawn into a web of deception on a scale that they are laughably ill-equipped to handle. It suits the writer’s agenda to place these babes in the woods in such an unlikely situation as they flounder around in search of answers.

The real trouble begins when In-joo a bookkeeper finds herself tempted by the offer of 2 billion won of cash left to her at the pleasure of her colleague Jin Hwa-young in a gym locker. It’s more money than In-joo has ever seen in her young life but it comes with a high price tag and puts her in an ethical predicament. Apparently Hwa-young has been playing around with Other People’s money and suffered the consequences. In-joo is in over her head and it’s Choi Do-il (Wi Ha-joon), her company’s accounting manager and money laundering expert, to rescue. Apparently the company has a habit of accumulating ill-gotten money and key people in the organization are involved in helping the Park-Won family creating slush funds to further their political ambitions.

While the performances range from great (Kim Go-eun, Wi Ha-joon and Uhm Ji-won) to good, in the overall scheme of things the characters don’t matter much because they are quite literally putty in someone’s hands. They exist to tell a story like miniatures in a diorama or figures in a dollhouse. The dollhouse metaphor is deliberate on the part of the writer who wants to weave a fairytale about the ordinary confronting the extraordinary similar to any Brothers Grimm tale. While there are no talking animals or supernatural beings in the mix, the show nevertheless relies heavily on miracles. The Oh sisters are fated to embark on a journey through a dark forest of evil and they cannot be certain who is friend or foe. They are almost always somebody’s plaything and dependant on the goodwill of others for their survival. There is an appearance of agency but the Oh sisters can only react to the situations they inevitably find themselves in due to the machinations of others.

There’s little that is relatable about the Oh sisters. They act impetuously in service of the plot. There’s nothing realistic about them or the situation they find themselves. At times it’s hard to believe that they might have been a close-knit family once when they spend far more time with others than each other. Using In-joo and In-kyung in particular as the primary windows into this world is a double-edged sword. More often than not their supposed bravery comes across as recklessness and lack of circumspection.

Won Sang-a the show’s primary antagonist fancies herself an unfulfilled thespian and plays out her fantasies with lesser mortals. She’s General Won’s daughter and her wealth enables her to indulge in her narcissism and megalomania. She likes secrets and she takes perverse pleasure in gamefying scenarios involving desperate malleable individuals where she commands their inevitable outcome. On the other hand her relationship with husband Park Jae-sang involves a series of sex games in which she manipulates him while he enables and cleans up after her. At first it seems like he’s a controlling abusive husband but it doesn’t take long before it’s clear who’s really calling the shots in that dynamic. She represents the figure of the witch that’s the staple of many beloved fairytale as she’s an inveterate schemer and master manipulator that casts her spell on those she deems dispensable.

In that vein Little Women is a witch’s brew as it mixes high stakes criminal activities with family dysfunction, romances and a conspiracy that goes back decades. The set-up brimming with potential, hitting the climax in Episode 10 only to end with a whimper in Episode 12. For a show that traded relentlessly on plot twists and shock factor, the finale felt strangely flat and mind numbingly… tedious. In effect the writer overplayed her hand ad absurdism; to the point where the final showdown between the protagonist and antagonist feels comedic rather than revelatory thus diminishing the impact of the moment.

Despite the title, the highlight of the viewing experience is Choi Do-il, who grounds the show for me. Almost everything else about the show is a farce in every sense but Do-il feels like a bright spot in a bleakly surreal landscape and more’s the pity that this show isn’t about him. Although he makes claims to being entirely mercenary, he is the sanest creature in this cat and mouse insanity — a reassuring constant in a sea of madness for the artless In-joo. He is her lifeline from start to finish. Without him she would be six foot under or ashes in an urn. The romantic tension between them evidenced from the start regrettably doesn’t have closure which begs the question — is the show leaving the door open for a second series?

A show like this can be an engaging watch depending on mood and the extent one is willing to suspend all manner of disbelief because at the end of the day such dramas don’t exactly prioritise logic or consistency.

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